Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.

5 out of 5 stars

Tantalizing time trip

By
Mark
on
08-21-13

1066: The Year That Changed Everything

By:
Jennifer Paxton,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Jennifer Paxton

Length: 3 hrs

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,480

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,316

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,314

With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.

5 out of 5 stars

History brought to life

By
Joshua
on
07-10-13

A Day's Read

By:
The Great Courses,
Emily Allen,
Grant L. Voth,
and others

Narrated by:
Arnold Weinstein,
Emily Allen,
Grant L. Voth

Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
148

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
131

Story

4 out of 5 stars
133

Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.

4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Introduction to Short Fiction

By
Tracy Rowan
on
01-17-18

The American Civil War

By:
Gary W. Gallagher,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Gary W. Gallagher

Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,521

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,277

Story

5 out of 5 stars
2,261

Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Series

By
Rodney
on
07-09-13

Ancient Civilizations of North America

By:
Edwin Barnhart,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Edwin Barnhart

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,596

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,467

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,458

For the past few hundred years, most of what we’ve been taught about the native cultures of North America came from reports authored by the conquerors and colonizers who destroyed them. Now - with the technological advances of modern archaeology and a new perspective on world history - we are finally able to piece together their compelling true stories. In Ancient Civilizations of North America, Professor Edwin Barnhart, Director of the Maya Exploration Center, will open your eyes to a fascinating world you never knew existed - even though you’ve been living right next to it, or even on top of it.

5 out of 5 stars

A different perspective - civilizations not tribes

By
Steve Goppert
on
07-26-18

The Story of Human Language

By:
John McWhorter,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
John McWhorter

Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,089

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,721

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,665

Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.

5 out of 5 stars

Hanging on every word

By
Mark
on
12-27-15

The Other Side of History: Daily Life in the Ancient World

By:
Robert Garland,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Robert Garland

Length: 24 hrs and 28 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
6,445

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
5,874

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
5,834

Look beyond the abstract dates and figures, kings and queens, and battles and wars that make up so many historical accounts. Over the course of 48 richly detailed lectures, Professor Garland covers the breadth and depth of human history from the perspective of the so-called ordinary people, from its earliest beginnings through the Middle Ages.

5 out of 5 stars

Tantalizing time trip

By
Mark
on
08-21-13

1066: The Year That Changed Everything

By:
Jennifer Paxton,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Jennifer Paxton

Length: 3 hrs

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,480

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,316

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,314

With this exciting and historically rich six-lecture course, experience for yourself the drama of this dynamic year in medieval history, centered on the landmark Norman Conquest. Taking you from the shores of Scandinavia and France to the battlefields of the English countryside, these lectures will plunge you into a world of fierce Viking warriors, powerful noble families, politically charged marriages, tense succession crises, epic military invasions, and much more.

5 out of 5 stars

History brought to life

By
Joshua
on
07-10-13

A Day's Read

By:
The Great Courses,
Emily Allen,
Grant L. Voth,
and others

Narrated by:
Arnold Weinstein,
Emily Allen,
Grant L. Voth

Length: 18 hrs and 25 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
148

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
131

Story

4 out of 5 stars
133

Join three literary scholars and award-winning professors as they introduce you to dozens of short masterpieces that you can finish - and engage with - in a day or less. Perfect for people with busy lives who still want to discover-or rediscover-just how transformative an act of reading can be, these 36 lectures range from short stories of fewer than 10 pages to novellas and novels of around 200 pages. Despite their short length, these works are powerful examinations of the same subjects and themes that longer "great books" discuss.

4 out of 5 stars

Wonderful Introduction to Short Fiction

By
Tracy Rowan
on
01-17-18

The American Civil War

By:
Gary W. Gallagher,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Gary W. Gallagher

Length: 24 hrs and 37 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,521

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,277

Story

5 out of 5 stars
2,261

Between 1861 and 1865, the clash of the greatest armies the Western hemisphere had ever seen turned small towns, little-known streams, and obscure meadows in the American countryside into names we will always remember. In those great battles, those streams ran red with blood-and the United States was truly born.

5 out of 5 stars

Excellent Series

By
Rodney
on
07-09-13

Ancient Civilizations of North America

By:
Edwin Barnhart,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Edwin Barnhart

Length: 12 hrs and 19 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,596

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,467

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,458

For the past few hundred years, most of what we’ve been taught about the native cultures of North America came from reports authored by the conquerors and colonizers who destroyed them. Now - with the technological advances of modern archaeology and a new perspective on world history - we are finally able to piece together their compelling true stories. In Ancient Civilizations of North America, Professor Edwin Barnhart, Director of the Maya Exploration Center, will open your eyes to a fascinating world you never knew existed - even though you’ve been living right next to it, or even on top of it.

5 out of 5 stars

A different perspective - civilizations not tribes

By
Steve Goppert
on
07-26-18

The Story of Human Language

By:
John McWhorter,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
John McWhorter

Length: 18 hrs and 15 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,089

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,721

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,665

Language defines us as a species, placing humans head and shoulders above even the most proficient animal communicators. But it also beguiles us with its endless mysteries, allowing us to ponder why different languages emerged, why there isn't simply a single language, how languages change over time and whether that's good or bad, and how languages die out and become extinct.

5 out of 5 stars

Hanging on every word

By
Mark
on
12-27-15

A Grown-Up Guide to Dinosaurs

An Audible Original

By:
Ben Garrod

Narrated by:
Ben Garrod

Length: 2 hrs and 42 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
9,972

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
9,118

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
9,083

Most children go through a dinosaur phase. Learning all the tongue-twisting names, picking favourites based on ferocity, armour, or sheer size. For many kids this love of ‘terrible lizards’ fizzles out at some point between starting and leaving primary school. All those fancy names slowly forgotten, no longer any need for a favourite. For all those child dino fanatics who didn’t grow up to become paleontologists, dinosaurs seem like something out of mythology. They are dragons, pictures in books, abstract, other, extinct.

3 out of 5 stars

strong performance, misleading title

By
MT
on
07-05-19

History's Great Military Blunders and the Lessons They Teach

By:
The Great Courses,
Gregory S. Aldrete

Narrated by:
Gregory S. Aldrete

Length: 12 hrs and 12 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,465

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,228

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,211

Military history often highlights successes and suggests a sense of inevitability about victory, but there is so much that can be gleaned from considering failures. Study these crucibles of history to gain a better understanding of why a civilization took - or didn't take - a particular path.

4 out of 5 stars

Martial Chaos

By
Cynthia
on
08-16-16

Food: A Cultural Culinary History

By:
Ken Albala,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Ken Albala

Length: 18 hrs and 22 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,355

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,024

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,993

Eating is an indispensable human activity. As a result, whether we realize it or not, the drive to obtain food has been a major catalyst across all of history, from prehistoric times to the present. Epicure Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin said it best: "Gastronomy governs the whole life of man."

5 out of 5 stars

One of my top 3 favorite courses!

By
Jessica
on
12-28-13

The Foundations of Western Civilization

By:
Thomas F. X. Noble,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Thomas F. X. Noble

Length: 24 hrs and 51 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,149

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
997

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
991

What is Western Civilization? According to Professor Noble, it is "much more than human and political geography," encompassing myriad forms of political and institutional structures - from monarchies to participatory republics - and its own traditions of political discourse. It involves choices about who gets to participate in any given society and the ways in which societies have resolved the tension between individual self-interest and the common good.

2 out of 5 stars

Not Engaging or Very Interesting

By
Tommy D'Angelo
on
03-05-17

The Iliad of Homer

By:
Elizabeth Vandiver,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Elizabeth Vandiver

Length: 6 hrs and 4 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
835

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
754

Story

5 out of 5 stars
748

For thousands of years, Homer's ancient epic poem the
Iliad has enchanted readers from around the world. When you join Professor Vandiver for this lecture series on the Iliad, you'll come to understand what has enthralled and gripped so many people.Her compelling 12-lecture look at this literary masterpiece -whether it's the work of many authors or the "vision" of a single blind poet - makes it vividly clear why, after almost 3,000 years, the
Iliad remains not only among the greatest adventure stories ever told but also one of the most compelling meditations on the human condition ever written.

5 out of 5 stars

Great!

By
Audible Fan
on
11-29-15

The Great Ideas of Philosophy, 2nd Edition

By:
Daniel N. Robinson,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Daniel N. Robinson

Length: 30 hrs and 11 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,935

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,745

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,715

Grasp the important ideas that have served as the backbone of philosophy across the ages with this extraordinary 60-lecture series. This is your opportunity to explore the enormous range of philosophical perspectives and ponder the most important and enduring of human questions-without spending your life poring over dense philosophical texts.

4 out of 5 stars

A Hard Review to Write

By
Ark1836
on
11-20-15

The Life and Writings of C. S. Lewis

By:
Louis Markos,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Louis Markos

Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
268

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
247

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
246

What can we still learn from C.S. Lewis? Find out in these 12 insightful lectures that cover the author's spiritual autobiography, novels, and his scholarly writings that reflect on pain and grief, love and friendship, prophecy and miracles, and education and mythology.

5 out of 5 stars

C.S. Lewis Would Be Proud

By
Ark1836
on
08-31-15

The Italians before Italy: Conflict and Competition in the Mediterranean

By:
Kenneth R. Bartlett,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Kenneth R. Bartlett

Length: 12 hrs and 8 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
314

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
284

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
283

Take a riveting tour of the Italian peninsula, from the glittering canals of Venice to the lavish papal apartments and ancient ruins of Rome. In these 24 lectures, Professor Bartlett traces the development of the Italian city-states of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, showing how the modern nation of Italy was forged out of the rivalries, allegiances, and traditions of a vibrant and diverse people.

Audible Originals takes to the high seas to bring to life this timeless tale of pirates, lost treasure maps and mutiny. When weathered old sailor Billy Bones arrives at the inn of young Jim Hawkins' parents, it is the start of an adventure beyond anything he could have imagined. When Bones dies mysteriously, Jim stumbles across a map of a mysterious island in his sea chest, where
X marks the spot of a stash of buried pirate gold.

3 out of 5 stars

I Thought it Would be the Book

By
Stacy
on
08-03-19

Elements of Jazz: From Cakewalks to Fusion

By:
Bill Messenger,
The Great Courses

Narrated by:
Bill Messenger

Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
431

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
381

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
378

Jazz is a uniquely American art form, one of America's great contributions to not only musical culture, but world culture, with each generation of musicians applying new levels of creativity that take the music in unexpected directions that defy definition, category, and stagnation. Now you can learn the basics and history of this intoxicating genre in an eight-lecture series that is as free-flowing and original as the art form itself.

2 out of 5 stars

A Disappointingly Distorted, Myopic View Of Jazz

By
Parallax View
on
08-18-13

Legion versus Phalanx

The Epic Struggle for Infantry Supremacy in the Ancient World

By:
Myke Cole

Narrated by:
Alexander Cendese

Length: 8 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
709

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
657

Story

4 out of 5 stars
654

From the time of Ancient Sumeria, the heavy infantry phalanx dominated the battlefield. Armed with spears or pikes, standing shoulder to shoulder, and with overlapping shields, they presented an impenetrable wall of wood and metal to the enemy. It was the phalanx that allowed Greece to become the dominant power in the Western world. That is, until the Romans developed the legion and cracked the phalanx.

5 out of 5 stars

It's Great After First Few Chapters

By
Jonathon Hawk
on
05-26-19

The Modern Scholar: The Norsemen - Understanding Vikings and Their Culture

By:
Professor Professor Michael D.C. Drout

Narrated by:
Professor Michael D.C. Drout

Length: 5 hrs and 2 mins

Original Recording

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
382

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
343

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
338

Professor Michael D.C. Drout of Wheaton College immerses listeners in the extraordinary legacy of Viking civilization, which developed in what is now Scandinavia during the early Middle Ages. During the course of these lectures, Professor Drout explores how these peoples conquered all of Northern Europe, traveled as far as Byzantium in the East and North America in the West, and left a literary legacy that includes numerous works studied and enjoyed to this day.

5 out of 5 stars

Best download in months!

By
Margaret
on
12-23-12

Publisher's Summary

As raiders and explorers, the Vikings played a decisive role in the formation of Latin Christendom, and particularly of western Europe.

Now, in a series of 36 vivid lectures by an honored teacher and classical scholar, you have the opportunity to understand this remarkable race as never before, studying the Vikings not only as warriors, but in all of the other roles in which they were equally extraordinary - merchants, artists, kings, raiders, seafarers, shipbuilders, and creators of a remarkable literature of myths and sagas. Professor Harl draws insights from an astonishing array of sources: The Russian Primary Chronicle (a Slavic text from medieval Kiev), 13th-century Icelandic poems and sagas, Byzantine accounts, Arab geographies, annals of Irish monks who faced Viking raids, Roman reports, and scores of other firsthand contemporary documents.

Among the topics you'll explore are the profound influence of the Norse gods and heroes on Viking culture and the Vikings' extraordinary accomplishments as explorers and settlers in Iceland, Greenland, and Vinland. And with the help of archaeological findings, you'll learn to analyze Viking ship burials, rune stones and runic inscriptions, Viking wood carving, jewelry, sculpture, and metalwork. By the end of the series, you'll have a new understanding of what it meant to be a Viking and a richer appreciation of this remarkable race - a people who truly defined the history of Europe, and whose brave, adventurous, and creative spirit still survives today.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

Enthralling Presentation of a Fascinating Subject

I highly recommend this lecture series. Professor Harl is a fantastic presenter thus making an interesting subject even more so given his depth of knowledgeable and dynamic coverage of Viking History.

I took a risk in choosing a lecture series for the first time on a subject I was only mildly interested in. The risk paid in spades. I honestly expected an arduous churn up a deep information stream and yet found I was shooting the rapids with a fascinating guy: great voice, dynamic spirit, excellent depth, intriguing side bars. I found myself consumed by the lectures and now seeking out more about the lore and history of Vikings.

Have you listened to any of Professor Kenneth W. Harl’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

This the first time I've listened to the work of Professor Kenneth W. Harl and he presents the subject in such a fantastic way, I'm already trying to pick the next lecture from this man.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

18 hours worth of material is too much for one sitting (IMO) but I'll be damned if I didn't churn through it within just a few days once I cracked it open. So well presented and logically divided by topic that I found myself absorbed by the work, focused on the subject and listening pretty much non-stop.

Thor, of course, and Bluetooth(!?)

Savage and violent aggressors, looters, slave traders, the Vikings do indeed make the perfect mindless "heroes" in video games! And it's very hard to picture them in the guise of the meek, mild, socialistic Scandinavians of today.

Professor Harl presents us with the real story, and, in some ways, it matches our preconceptions of the massive, feared raiders of movies and TV. Did you know, for instance, that there was a Viking king called "Bluetooth?" And, sadly, that the Vikings did not wear those cool horned helmets? What they did was learn from the cultures they dominated; they intermarried and absorbed much of the culture of their conquests.

In fact, they had an enormous influence on Britain, Germany, Iceland, Eastern Europe, even Russia. Yet that relentless warrior ethic sort of melded into the cultures of all these places and leaves little trace at home.

This course is very long, and some of the details may be most interesting only to specialists and/or those of Scandinavian descent, but there is much here for the listener with a more casual interest in history. The Professor presents a full range of Viking legacies - financial, military, artistic and literary - with enthusiasm and full command of his subject.

Once again, the Great Courses comes through with a fascinating presentation.

Good Informational Listen

I liked it. I enjoy history, and with this book, history is what you get. The narration is obviously a bit different, since it is a compilation of lectures. College style. I know this might bore some listeners, but I enjoyed it. It is, what it is, no more, no less, an informative lesson on Norse history, a bit of Norse mythology, and what seems to be a true account, and a timeline, of the Scandinavian people, and their culture, their customs, and their history. If you enjoy history, and nonfiction, I think you should give it a shot. Especially if your of Norwegian heritage.

One of the best.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This is one of my favorites of The Great Courses, and not only because my ancestors would have been characters in its stories. Few are done as effectively and succinctly while introducing you to the wider depth of its base in the sagas and serious historical study.

A better title would be Geography of the Vikings

“And..ug....and...ug...and....and...and” The lecturer has problems. It is so hard to listen to all the “and’s” and “uuug’s.” Combine that speaking pattern with long passages of tributaries and rivers and geography, the result is very difficult to follow.

I generally enjoy the Great Courses series, but this Course was almost unbearable.

Good but a bit dry

Obviously this is a series of lectures, so the format is rather dry and well lecture like. The information however is amazing and shows the depth of viking culture and influence on history. I made connections to all sorts of things in other historical periods and realized their roots.

One of the better introductions into the topic

What other book might you compare The Vikings to and why?

I spent about 10-15 years reading a lot about the Scandinavian activities between 500 and 1200 (and still refuse to call that time just "the time of the Vikings", it just doesn't cover that). My interests cover a variety of topics: Politics, social life, religious beliefs - and, on top of everything, the "why". Why did people risk so many lives in undertaking enormous journeys oversea without guarantee of safely returning home? Why did a society function (quite well, as it seems) that seems to be based on "a human life is worth nothing more than its weight in goat skin"? Why did people believe in the "Gods" they believed in and why did they accept a single "God" over their established religious system? And why, the heck, did it take nearly a thousand years to make that Christian believe system accept women to have their own rights (like kicking their husbands in the backs and get a divorce for the benefit of everyone) if those "stupid pagans" had it up and running for so long before those "well educated, culturally higher evolved" Christians?

I listened to D.C. Drout's "The Norsemen" (nicely excited tutor, some content should be taken with a LOT of salt there as Drout dislikes to give any proof for what he tells his audience, while he definitely seems to see some things differently to many book authors), I listened to J. Paxton's "The Year 1066" (very brief, a mere overview over political actions without much background, but a good, condensed reminder in that) from Audible. Among these three audio books this course by Mr. Harl is the one I'd recommend for getting some understanding of "what happened", even of some parts of the "why".

What does Professor Kenneth W. Harl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Unfortunately I found Mr. Harl's presentation - while being well paced, dramatic, honest and emotionally moving - distracting at times. The pro is, I loved the fact that I did never feel like falling asleep, there's just too much energy and heart felt action in his performance.

But why, please, does Mr. Harl insist in "American" pronunciations of names of people and places? I do not know of any "King Canude" or any "Hecken". Sure, I do understand that different languages come with different "renderings" of names, no problem. But if you are into HISTORY, if you want to discuss topics with other students, scholars, human beings (that are NOT American-only, that may speak in "foreign" - haha - language), it would make a lot of sense to use people's and place's original names (or at least some approximation of those). "Canude" is, it took me some time to realize, "Knut". "Hecken" is, it was easier to guess, "Håkon". The same goes for places (cities, villages, whatsnots). If you do not know any of the names mentioned, this is probably not an issue. If you do have some previous knowing-of-who-is-who, you may well get lost as to who Mr. Harl is talking about.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

As with most course I listened to (through Audible or otherwise) the thing that I miss the most is PROOF. Where do the tutors get their knowledge from? Why can they say "it was this way and not the other way"? What makes them 100% certain that they know EXACTLY what happened? Where did they get their interpretations from?If you have the slightest doubt about one topic or the other, it may "block" you from taking the best from these lectures, because you have no way of discussing questions with the tutor. You have to "forget" about UNDERSTANDING things if your personal recherche has come up with some different points of view.So the best approach to enjoy a course like this is to "just listen, don't think". This may sound a bit cloudy ... let me put it this way:I am not sure that Mr. Harl's personal area of expertise is "the Scandinavian history from 200-1200". I got the impression, at times, that he is just quoting, without any personal interpretation or even an attempt of critical (scientific?) doubt, what books and scholars present. THIS he does greatly. Personally I would have wished for some more "I personally think that ..." and less "this is how it was".

Any additional comments?

My critique seems to be a bit negative. It isn't. I am trying to point out what I disliked, because, all in all, this course is well worth the time spent with it. You do get a great overview not only over the political history, the connections between many of the (Germanic and other) tribes/clans/families/peoples in (North- AND South) Europe. There isn't much time spent on "Gods and religions", but that's ok, as this course tries to concentrate on "worldly matters". "The Vikings" (haha) had more to offer than just some believable, human-ish, crazy Gods.

Raiders on the Forefront of History

I absolutely love medieval history, but until now my knowledge of the Vikings was perhaps underserviced. The fault is mine alone, based on a misperception that the Norse raiders of old were essentially "ye olde biker gang" writ large. But no matter where you look in medieval history, the Vikings are right there at the forefront, so I knew needed to fill in some glaring gaps in my understanding.

The Great Courses series is generally fantastic on a wide range of topics, and this particular course is no exception. I am blown away at how much I learned in a relatively short amount of time. I've come to respect the Vikings' place in history, even if I can't always respect how they secured it. There are deeper layers to their culture that make them far more interesting as a study in contradiction, which in turn lends even more to the larger tapestry that they've woven themselves into. If you're looking for a solid course on just how much history has turned as a result of the Viking culture, look no further. This one's a winner.

They're not Hagar the Horrible after all.

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. Dr. Harl was my favorite professor at Tulane, and he is true to form here. Every lecture is packed with information, presented in an interesting and even exciting way by an excellent public speaker who really knows his stuff.

What did you like best about this story?

Definitely the information about the Viking ships.

Which character – as performed by Professor Kenneth W. Harl – was your favorite?

It's a lecture series, so it hasn't really got characters. My favorite part was learning that the Battle of Hastings in 1066 was really just Viking on Viking, with the Angles, Saxons and native Britons waiting around to see what set of invaders would be running the show next.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

It would kill you to listen to that much history all at once.

Any additional comments?

I am glad Dr. Harl didn't throw in the nastiest stuff there is to know about the Vikings. I did an independent study based on Anglo-Saxon writings about the Vikings, and they were pretty terrible from the victim's standpoint. But they were also clever, good at fitting in wherever they went, incredibly brave, fine athletes, wonderful poets, and the founders of a surprising number of nations in addition to the Scandinavian countries. I think I'll just go and build myself a longship now.

Great topic, awful presentation

I have listened to about 40 titles from the Great Courses and this is the first one that I have actually disliked. The teacher is simply awful. He doesn't give context, just a random stream of facts and he continually shouts at the audience as he rushes through the material. As someone else said, you just can't remember most of what was said; not because it was complex, but because it was presented in such a 'stream of consciousness' kind of way.

So, I have listened to many history audiobooks and when I saw The Vikings, I thought "There's a group that I don't know much about, this should be interesting." And indeed the basic topic and material is interesting.

But can we please have a different professor give their account of this material? Kenneth Harl shouts unpleasantly loudly, especially when he gets passionate about a topic. Further, he talks too fast and gets even faster when excited (so now he's talking too fast and too loudly).

To make things worse, he gives no real context to each lecture or to compartmentalize each section within a lecture. So it's just a stream of facts -- frequently with digressions to completely random facts that he happens to remember at the time (as in an uncle saying "Oh yes, that reminds me of the time we went to Stockholm...". Seriously, he must have told us that Jahrl means Earl about ten times. I really get the impression that he hadn't prepared this material in detail and it was just "Hey, I've got this, I can just wing it because I know it so well". Yep, he does, but you won't.

Without this context, and with the headlong rush of too-fast presentation, you are relieved to get to the end of the lecture and then reflect on what you've learned. Oh great, I just can barely remember any of it. There is a tremendous amount of material here, but without context, it's just ephemeral and rather a waste of time.

When he covered 1066 and the battles of King Harold, I thought "Oh good, something I'm familiar with". After the lecture, my concerns with this lecture series became a lot clearer. Given how poorly and disjointedly this lecture was presented, on a subject that I already knew, *no wonder* I was finding the other lectures haphazard and unstructured!

Go listen to Robert Garland (The Other Side of History) -- there is a professor who is also passionate about his topic but is able to present complex ideas within context, adds humor and makes the knowledge accessible and memorable.

Great Courses, please have someone else do a lecture series on The Vikings, I'd like to see this material given the presentation that it deserves.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Meb

05-02-15

More knowledge gained .

It was very informative , it also kept my interest though out . As I am not an academic I did wonder whether it would be difficult to understand but this wasn't the case . The readers enthusiasm for his subject showed throughout the lectures . Despite its length I shall listen to it again . I don't want to have missed anything .

3 of 3 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Sean

01-22-17

Magnus

I loved these lectures,what a heroic,fearful time to live,a bit disappointed I never heard anything about Magnus barelegs but we can't have everything.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

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5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Booka

01-15-17

Great course!

Interesting course on the Viking period of Scandinavia. It's got everything you'd expect from the course. I liked the parts on discovery and settlement of Iceland; discovery of North America; how Christianity changed the Scandinavian economy and so relied less on Viking raids; the impact of Vikings on England e.g. King Alfred's defence of the raids and later when Harold defeated Harald in 1066 only to be defeated by William afterwards.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Dr Z of Ely near Cambridge, England

09-15-16

Spellbinding

Prof Harl weaves a grand tale over thousands of years. It is clear that he knows the cast of characters in considerably more detail than he can discuss in these spellbinding lectures. The delivery is passionate. The story vacillates from horror, hilarity, crazy turns and byways leading to some bizarre situation. Quite in keeping with the Icelandic bards.Poignant for me as this is my ancestry that, to my shame, I knew very little about beyond the cliches. My understanding of European history has increased hugely giving me insights into religion, folk beliefs, legal systems and why we binge drink in large halls!Brilliant. Thank you. Could you do one on the Icelandic Sagas please?

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Carl Chivers

10-29-15

Vikings!

More history than I expected.Brilliant history to those interested (or not).Lecturer is very interested in the topic which keeps it very engaging.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

3 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

mr

06-02-14

Good

Not as much on mythology as I would had liked. Aside from that very good, learnt a lot.

3 of 4 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

R. L. Greene

08-17-19

Informative, enthusiastic, memorable

This course gave me exactly what I wanted. I know the professor from previous classes, but I had mostly thought of him as focusing on Rome and Greece and Byzantium. This history of the Vikings is memorable, funny, fascinating, analytical, and detailed in the right places without getting lost in the detail.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

stuart

08-16-19

wonderful background

loved it you can hear by his voice his passion for the subject, amazing amount of information. will listen to it again a few times to take it all in

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

John Palmer

12-09-18

A must listen fr those interested in the vikings

A brilliant and in-depth overview of the vikings. It was very insightful. I would definitely recommend.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Barleyman

06-09-18

Worth the effort

Its a bit of an epic, but well worth the effort if you want to find out as much as possible about the Vikings from one place.

Covers their escapades from Scandinavia to England, Ireland, France, Iceland North America, Russia the Byzantium Court and beyond, giving details on the how the happenings in one place influenced the happenings in many others.

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Overall

3 out of 5 stars

Performance

2 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Naomi

01-16-18

Some good information

This lecture series is definitely not for anyone without prior understanding of the medieval period (in which the Viking age sits) and the major events that occurred in that era. There are too many unexplained references to medieval events and people that are confusing unless you already know those events and names. I would suggest some of the other Great Courses on the Medieval Period before trying this one.

Although the lecturer has a tendency to go off on tangents and constantly explain events which he then says "we will cover in another lecture", the actual information is detailed and useful.

The lecturer also has an extremely patronising tone of voice; he starts every lecture sounding like he would rather be doing something else and that he is really annoyed at having to tell someone all this information. As he gets into his story, the tone gets a little better, but he still sounds like he's is being made to do this lecture series under duress.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Stan

12-27-16

Vikings more than horned helmets

In fact they did not wear them. Being totally ignorant of Viking history, I learned a lot.

It was fascinating to learn of the huge impact upon Europe and beyond that the Vikings had.

I loved the nick names they had for so many of their leaders. And the place of Icelandic saga writing and why it occurred there.

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Supracet

07-30-16

Brilliant!

This story was absolutely brilliant from beginning to end. I was informed, entertained and captivated throughout.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Omar

02-08-19

Brilliant

Kenneth W Harl is clearly the best lecturer on audible. All of his courses are fantastic, fascinating and informative. You probably learn double or triple from one of his courses than any other.The Vikings is no exception. One of the best books I've ever read.

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Clinton

11-15-18

loved it

Loved it. Entertaining, interesting and easy to follow. I enjoyed the antidotes and stories along the wsy

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Iain White

08-26-18

Very knowledgeable presenter, maybe bit long

36 lectures is a lot, very good content though started to lose interest half way through.

Overall

5 out of 5 stars

Performance

5 out of 5 stars

Story

5 out of 5 stars

Anton Svensson

11-16-16

Informative, entertaining and interesting!

Very well performed with a good structure of all gathered material represented. A must read for all viking enthusiasts out there.

Overall

4 out of 5 stars

Performance

4 out of 5 stars

Story

4 out of 5 stars

Karen

07-11-14

A rollicking good tale

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

This was a great book, it really took you into the Viking world, how they became the expert raiders they were and even more interesting how they came to have such a dramatic influence on the shape of the Middle ages.

What other book might you compare The Vikings to, and why?

I have listened to a number of the 'Great Courses' books, but this one is among my favourites.

What does Professor Kenneth W. Harl bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

Pof Kenneth, bring a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to the narration of this book, and I would never have been able to pronounce many of the names. In fact my main criticism of the narration is that he gets so excited about the events that he talks too fast and it is hard to keep up. The battle of 1066 went by so fast that I had to rewind and listen again to be able to catch it all he was so excited. But such enthusiasm gives the book even greater interest.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

The great Courses cannot be listened to in one sitting as you need to concentrate more than a normal novel so I can usually only listen for a couple of hours, but this book held my interest better than many others and I was sorry when it ended.

Any additional comments?

I would strongly recommend this book to any others who want to learn what the viking were really like.